If you’d like to have the majority of your health care in one location, consider Maria Cole Family Practice in Odessa, Texas. Maria Cole, FNP and Kelly Wenger, FNP provide comprehensive women’s health services, including gynecologic exams, important screenings, and weight management. Call the office to learn more or use the easy online scheduler to book now.
Certain illnesses and diseases affect women exclusively or differently than they do for a man. For instance, under age 50, women have more fatal heart attacks than men do. Other conditions that uniquely affect women are:
The nurse practitioners at Maria Cole Family Practice are specifically trained to care for the issues that face women.
In addition to a thorough gynecological exam, Maria Cole, FNP and Kelly Wenger, FNP offer comprehensive screening tests to monitor blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, breast and colon cancers, and osteoporosis.
Most of these services are considered routine, though a few may only be offered if your nurse practitioner thinks you need them, including:
At your well-woman exam, your providers also pay special attention to polycystic ovarian syndrome, abnormal bleeding, painful periods, and other problems that affect women.
A breast exam at Maria Cole Family Practice is a preventive check-up of your breast health. Your nurse practitioner feels for lumps and changes in symmetry, size, or shape. She’ll also press her fingers into your armpit areas to check for any issues in your lymph nodes. Finally, she’ll check your nipple for discharge or abnormalities in your nipple’s appearance.
Breast exams are necessary to catch breast cancer early. Unfortunately, one in every eight women will develop breast cancer. It’s a deadly disease that is best treated in its early stages.
A Pap smear is an essential test to screen for cervical cancer. Like most screening tests, the nurse practitioners at Maria Cole Family Care use the Pap smear to detect cervical cancer before there are any symptoms.
To perform the test, your provider opens your vagina with a speculum and swabs your cervix to collect mucus and cells. She sends the sample to the lab to check for abnormalities. The procedure is quick and well tolerated by most women.
For a thorough health check-up, call Maria Cole Family Practice. You can also book using the online feature.